Steam-trap, boiler-feed, and water-meter.



G. W. COLE STEAM TRAP, BOILER FEED, AND WATER METER.

vAPPLICATION FILED AUG, 3, 1909.

Patented 0ct.4,1910.

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G. W. COLE. STEAM TRAP, BOILER FEED, AND WATER METER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1909.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

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GEORGE W. COLE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

STEAM-TRAP, BOILER-FEED, AND WATER-METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

Application filed. August 3, 1909. Serial No. 510,966.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE TV. COLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Traps, Boiler- Feeds, and Nater-lVIeters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices commonly known as steam traps, adapted to measure or meter the amount of water of condensation that is returned through the trap, and

my invention consists of the parts and the constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts which I will hereinafter de scribe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views :-F igure 1 is a side elevation of a combined steam-trap, boiler feed and water-meter embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the relief valve, 9,and adjuncts, Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the hollow trunnion, on the line w00 of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 represents side and top views of the two-part trunnion detached.

In the aforesaid drawings, the receiver, l, is shown as being horizontally-disposed and it will be suitably supported relative to a boiler.

An inlet pipe A, having a suitable check valve A, connects with the bottom of the receiver and is designed to admit water thereto.

Suitably bolted or riveted or otherwise secured to the top of the receiver is a flanged boss or plate, 29, having a threaded opening into engagement with which is screwed the lower nipple-end of a head, 1, said head being provided with suitable vertical passages, 27 and 28.

The head is bored or otherwise formed with axially alined horizontal openings Y) which lead inwardly from each side until their inner ends intersect the upper ends of the vertical passages before mentioned. The head is also provided with side stuffing boxes, 0, through which and the horizontally-alined openings, the oppositely extending hollow arms 0, e, of the trunnions pass, said arms having, preferably, their inner ends undercut on one side to provide notches which register with the upper ends of the vertical passages 27-28 in the head. This construction of the trunnion is one of the special features of my invention. The parts c, g and h and c, g and it constitute what I call trunnion arms, the parts being similar and the arms 9 and g abutting and being bolted together, and the end arms h 72., being bored to form passages which connect with the passages in the arms, 6, 0; into the outer end of the passages formed in the end arms, the pipes 31 and 32, are threaded, as shown in Fig. 6.

The vertical passages in the head 1, connect with the upper ends of the pipes, 27 and 28, which latter screw into the under side of the head and project into the receiver, said pipes being of difierent lengths with the lower end of the longer pipe 28 terminating a short distance above the bottom of the receiver; the lower end of the other pipe, 27, terminates a suitable distance above the end of pipe 28. Each of these pipes thus corresponds to one of the vertical passages in the head and also to one of the hollow trunnion-arms and the passage leading thereto.

A suitable pipe-fitting, 26, is let into the length of the pipe, 27, and has a vertical passage which registers with the passage through said pipe, said pipe-fitting having an off-set portion 26, which is provided with a vertical passage of two dlameters, the upper and larger of which forms a chamber for the ball or other valve 1', and is closed by a screw plug it, said valve chamber connecting by a lateral passage 1, with the vertical passage through the pi e 27 The smaller passage through the 0 set portion of the pipe fitting opens into the receiver. This fitting forms a relief valve structure to allow the compressed air to escape from the receiver as the latter is filling, and will hereinafter be referred to as simply a valve. Any other form of valve with opening located at the same point and operating as I will presently describe, is within the scope of my present invention.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pipes, 31 and 32, which connect with the separate passages through the two-part trunnion, the head and the pipes 27 and 28, connect with and support the tank, 3, which tank is arranged crosswise above one end of the receiver and is arranged to fall and rise in the llt manner and for the purpose I will hereinafter indicate. The trunnion and the pipes, 31, 32, thus form a rocking-support for the tank, and one of said pipes (31) enters into the bot-tom of the tank while the other pipe (32) is extended vertically through the tank until its upper end terminates proximate to the top thereof.

The pipes are connected to a horizontallyarranged lever, 8, by means of a cross-bar 29, said lever being disposed above the receiver, 4, having a counterweight upon one end and having a roller, 2, at its intermediate portion movably mounted on top of the trunnion head and forming a shiftable fulcrum for the lever, and one which is practically frictionless. There is also connected with the tank-supporting mechanism, say with the pipe, 31, thereof one end of a lever, 22, whose opposite portion is fulcrumed at m, to a post or arm fixed to the casing of a valve 5, said valve having its stem connected to the short-arm of the lever, 22, and said short-arm being provided with a counterweight 20.

The valvecasing, 5, is connected at its bottom to one end of a bent or U-shaped pipe a, which is located within the upper portion of the tank, said pipe having its other end in open communication with the interior of the receiver 4. To the top of the tank, 8, is also secured a relief valve which in Fig. 4 is shown as comprising a suitable plug, p, having a passage 0 and valve chamher 0 said chamber containingaball or other loose valve 7, which is normally held to its seat in the chamber by a pin or stem 8, car ried by a pivoted lever T. The pin or stem 8, is slidably guided in the chamber 0 of the valve and has a reduced lower portion which at times rests on the valve and forms an annular passage 0, which connects with a transverse passage a leading to a pipe, 25, which extends downwardly and is suitably connected to an extension of one side of the trunnion, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and by suitable pipe sect-ions and couplings serves to conduct to the atmosphere any steam that escapes past the relief valve.

By having a loose valve, as a ball, with a pin or stem resting on top of the same and connected to a lever in the manner described, the valve being unconnected to the pin or stem, the valve is allowed perfect freedom of movement, and also to take the place of a check valve should a vacuum be produced in the tank; at the same time, when the lever is operated to raise the pin or stem, the pressure within the tank lifts the valve from its seat, and when the lever is released the weight thereon causes the valve to be forced to its seat.

The lever T which carries the pin or stem 8, of the reliefvalve is fulcrumed at 40, to an extension of the casting or plug, p; one

end of this lever carries a counterweight 00 while the other end is loosely attached to and guided by a vertical rod, 12, whose lower end is connected to an arm, 12', or extension of the head 1, of the trunnion, said rod having a fixed collar, 11, to engage the end of the lever T, as I will presently explain.

Suitable stops, 24, are disposed inthe range of movement of the tank, 3, and weighted lever, 8, to limit their movement and, if desired, springs, 23, or other means may be employed to reduce or cushion the shock due to the sudden seating of one of these parts on the other. Also, if desired, an arm a, or other actuating part of some well known and appropriate register B, may be extended into the range of action of the rising and falling tank, 8, whereby each oscillation of the latter will be recorded and the volume of water delivered through the tank determined.

The operation of the steam-trap boiler feed and water meter heretofore described is substantially as follows :The water enters the receiver, 4, through the pipe, 16, and connections and rises therein until it successively covers and seals the lower ends of the vertical pipes 28 and 27. During this rise of the water in the receiver, the air in the receiver is permitted to escape through the relief valve, 26 (Fig. 5), the pipe 27 and connections before described into the tank, 3, (which may be considered as in its normal elevated position) and out through the relief-valve (Fig. 4) in the top of the tank. )Vhen the water level in the receiver, 4, reaches the end of the valve, 26, it seals the air passage through the same and no further air can escape and the pressure thus generated in the receiver results in the water being forced up into the pipes, 27 and 28, and through the hollow trunnions and the pipes, 31 and 32, into the tank, displacing the air therein and forcing it out through the relief valve 9. hen the tank is about filled, the weight of the water over balances the counterweight, 21, and the tank descends, swinging about the trunnion as an axis and depressing the lever 8 about its shiftable fulcrum, or roller, and also operating the counterweighted lever 22 to cause it to open the valve 5, at the same time the relief valve, 1", is closed by the action of the lever T and a collar, 11, on the rod, 12, engaging said lever. The valve, 5, being connected direct with the steam pressure in the boiler, the steam enters the receptacle, 4, through said valve and through the bent or U-shaped pipe, at, and shoots upward and fills the receptacle with steam pressure, thereby equaling the pressure in the receptacle and causing the water to flow by gravity therefrom through the check valve D, and which valve may be connected to return the water to the boiler or to the atmosphere or other place, as desired. While the water is thus running out of the receptacle the steam pressure is continued within said receptacle and fills the space vacated by the water, and this continues until the water drops to the bottom of the pipe 28. When the lower end of the other pipe, 27, is uncovered by the falling level of the water in the receiver, the steam is permitted to enter therein, and by means of the pipe, 32,

be conducted to the upper portion of the tank, 8, thereby equalizing the pressure in this tank and allowing the water in said tank to gravitate through the other pipe, 28, into the receiver, 4, until said tank has emptied its water, when the counterweight, 21, will overbalance the tank and return the latter to normal position, the lever 8,finally resting with its cushion or spring on the stop or support. Concurrently with the return of the tank to normal position, the valve, 5, is caused to close, through the action of the lever 22 and weight 20, and thereby shut-off the steam pressure; and the relief valve, 9, is opened to allow the pressure within the receiver and tank to escape to the atmosphere, and to permit the tank to be again filled with Water.

An essential object in making the pipe 27 shorter than the pipe 28 is to prevent steam entering the tank, 3, until the receiver, 4, becomes nearly empty, and the length of this pipe, 27, may be regulated so'that the steam will enter and pass up into the tank, 3, and empty the same about the time that the water level reaches the lower end of the pipe 28, which is very near the bottom of the tank 4; the pipe, 28, acts as an outlet for the water in the tank, 8, and the pipe 27, serves as an inlet for the steam supplied to the tank; the pipe 28,simply enters the bottom of the tank while the end of the pipe 27 extends to a point close to the top of the tank.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receiver and a supply-pipe and outlet pipe connecting therewith, of a counterweighted receiving tank supported to move up and down, means for causing it to be lowered when suflicient water is admitted thereto to overbalance the counterweight, a. head fixed to the receiver having fluid passages through it, a trunnion journaled in the head and connected to the tank, pipes of unequal length fixed to the head and extending into the receiver to different levels and connecting with the passages in the head, other pipes leading from the outer ends of the trunnion and forming a continuation of the fluid passages of the latter and connecting with the tank, and a normallyclosed steam supply valve automatically opened during the fall of the tank and adapted to admit steam pressure to the receiver to equalize the pressure therein and permit the water to gravitate therefrom.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receiver and a supply-pipe and outlet-pipe connecting therewith, of a head fixed to the receiver having fluid passages through it, a trunnion journaled in the head pipes of unequal length fixed to the head and extending into the receiver to different levels and connecting with the passages in the head, other pipes leading from the outer ends of the trunnions and forming continuations of the fluid passages of the latter, a tank connecting with the outer ends of said last-named pipes, said tank adapted to move up and down about said trunnion, a counterweighted lever for supporting the tank in its elevated position, one of the first-named pipes adapted to convey air from the receiver to the tank when the former is being filled and both of the said first-named pipes serving to convey water from the receiver to the tank when the former is substantially filled, and a normally-closed steam valve actuated by the falling of the tank to admit steam pressure to the receiver to equalize the pressure therein and allow the water to gravitate through said outlet pipe, said pipes of unequal length adapted to have their inner ends uncovered successively whereby when the end of the shorter pipes is uncovered steam is conducted through said pipe to the upper part of the tank to equalize the pressure in this tank and allow the water to gravitate therefrom.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a receiver, a rising and falling tank, fluid conducting pipes connecting the interior of the receptacle with the interior of the tank, said pipes having their corresponding ends terminating at difierent levels in the receiver and tank, water supply and discharge pipes connecting with the receiver, said conducting pipes adapted to have their ends successively sealed by the level of the water in the receiver, and one of said pipes having a relief valve through which and said pipe air is conducted from the receiver to the tank while the former is filling, said relief valve adapted to be sealed by the rising level of the water in the receiver whereby the pressure generated in the receiver will force water through the conducting pipes into the tank to overbalance the latter and cause it to drop, means for relieving air pressure in the tank, and a normally closed steam valve actuated by the lowering of the tank to admit steam pressure to the receiver to equalize the pressure therein and permit the water to gravitate therefrom, the steam entering the first of the conducting pipes to be uncovered by the falling level of the water and being conducted by this pipe to the tank to equalize the pressure therein and thereby permit the water to flow through the pipe into the receiver.

a. In a device of the character described, the combination wit-h a receiver having a supply-pipe and an outlet pipe, of a tank and means permitting it to rise and fall, said means including a trunnion having separate fluid passages and separate conducting pipes leading outwardly therefrom; other pipes connecting the fluid passages of the trun nion with the interior of the receiver, said last-named pipes having their lower ends terminating at difierent levels in said receiver, and adapted to be successively sealed by the rising level of the water in the receiver, the higher of said pipes having an air-relief valve for conducting the compressed air to the pipe and thence to the tank, a normally-closed steam valve actuated by the lowering of the tank to admit steam pressure to the receiver to equalize the pressure therein and permit the water to gravitate therefrom, said higher pipe when its lower end is uncovered by the water, serving to conduct the steam pressure to the top of the tank to equalize the pressure in the tank and cause the tank to empty into the receiver through the other conducting pipe, means for returning the empty tank to normal position, and means for closing said valve.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receiver, a tank supported to move up and down, and fluid connections between the receiver and tank, of a plug fixed to the tank having a passage through it, a lever pivotally mounted on the plug having a weight upon one end, a loose valve controlling said passage, a pin or stem carried by the lever and slidable in the plug and normally resting out of contact with the valve, and a conducting pipe connecting with the passage in the plug.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a receiver, a tank supported to move up and down, and fluid connections between the receiver and tank, of a plug fixed to the tank having a passage through it, a lever pivotally mounted on the plug having a weight upon one end, a loose valve controlling said passage, a pin or stem carried by the lever and slidable in the plug and normally resting out of contact with the valve, and a vertical rod having a part to be engaged by the other end of said lever for closing the valve when the tank lowers.

In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. COLE.

lVitnesses:

lVIONROE S. NORTH, SAFFORD E. NORTH. 

